Snakemolt's difficulty varies from "impossible" to "almost for free". I could make it to the first circular room without having to avoid a single pugot since they all wandered off somewhere. Next part only has one pugot at the end of the way, passed it and grabbed the node.

Deadliest combo in black shroud so far was guivres+pugots, since you can't pass pugots without aggroing and guivres have ranged attack. Decoy makes things easier, but only if there ONE guivre on the way.

Also, Pugots seem to stick to the spot they killed you at and move back and forth passing it. Used that to disarm the way to Lasthold. Involved a few deaths but the way was free after that.